r/MadeMeSmile • u/bindukwe • Jan 30 '23 • Silver 1

Tyson's retirement speech Wholesome Moments

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21.3k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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6.9k

u/SubstantialPolicy378 Jan 30 '23

Most authentic retirement ever.

2.5k

u/SnooDoubts5781 Jan 30 '23

Very honest and relatable. Getting old is no fun.

1.3k

u/judahrosenthal Jan 30 '23

I don’t think it’s necessarily about getting old but of priorities changing. He said he can stay fit he just doesn’t have the fight. I’ve def seen that change as I realize I have new things on which to focus my energy.

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u/Stuck_at_Work_Till_5 Jan 30 '23

He told a story once of his son wanting to be a boxer and Tyson basically told him that he didn’t have the hunger it takes because of how he was raised in luxury.

Tyson came from ZERO, he was hungry and basically fighting for his life. It made him the animal that he was in the ring.

After so many years and all he had been through, the speech was heartfelt. He didn’t have that hunger anymore. Respect

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u/judahrosenthal Jan 30 '23

I see that. I played tennis competitively in high school and first year of college. Just couldn’t maintain that level of drive. Ultimately, I didn’t mind getting beaten and enjoyed just playing the game too much. You have to hate losing, hate not being the best to really succeed in competitive sports. And boxing just has to be next level.

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u/Ellie_Llewellyn Jan 30 '23

I may be wrong but I was always under the assumption that a lot of tennis players came from fairly comfortable backgrounds?

Just assuming as I played tennis for a few years as a kid but had to stop as my parents couldn't afford the club/coaching fees anymore

44

u/JeepersBud Jan 31 '23

I think Tyson more means the ANGER that comes with growing up the way he did was missing. You can definitely have that kind of drive and passion and driving rage if you grow up privileged, but it’s rarer and a different breed of anger. I’m not gonna pretend I know what it’s like to grow up as a black child in any circumstances, but I can imagine a lot of the ear-biting rage Tyson was fostered to have comes from a very raw and different place than the average person can relate to.

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u/judahrosenthal Jan 30 '23 edited Jan 30 '23

Yes. It’s not about money hunting (per se, though I now realize I grew up pretty poor) but internal drive that I just saw slip away when I went off and saw the greater world and had access to more in life. Or what life had to offer.

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u/crunchypuddle Jan 30 '23

Finding someone who can teach you the skills is pretty easy through community programs.

Rich kids go to clubs like Brookhaven and Tbar but these days there's some college kid teaching on your local courts who will take you through a beginner program over the summer for like 10 bucks a head for group sessions. That's what me and a buddy did and I was hooked.

Then it's just about scrapping free court time if you're like us and didn't have any money. Fighting over local public spots is very doable at least in Texas.

I spent my whole teenage life driving around Dallas just searching for free open tennis courts. You also have to have a few friends who are willing to hit with you night and day I guess.

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u/judahrosenthal Jan 30 '23

That’s how I learned. An old man who played baseline like nobody’s business taught me the fundamentals. We’d play for many hours. I was 12 or 13. I had taken lessons and my parents scrapped that together (though I later learned they really only paid for one or two). And I played against a back wall for many hours a day.

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u/[deleted] Jan 30 '23

That was the most shocking thing to me when I made it to college. Way too many guys comfortable with losing. Even D1.

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u/judahrosenthal Jan 30 '23

I think skill and a bit of talent can take you far- but only so far. For me, it also helped immensely that I was left handed and preferred doubles. But just didn’t have the “killer instinct” and so if I lost due to being outplayed, I wanted to learn and do better but it didn’t build the fire you need to really complete at a high level.

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u/BiffNasty1234 Jan 30 '23

It happens to everyone. I used to go hard in every sport I played after high school through college. You take a few years off, find hobbies outside of the sport, you can very easily come back with less fire to your own detriment.

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u/judahrosenthal Jan 30 '23

There’s only one thing I’ve had a consistent drive to do and that’s road cycling. Everything else has come and gone but for more than 25 years I’ve been chasing the same PRs, climbing the same mountains, etc. That’s me against me. Me against others dropped off my map years ago.

3

u/BiffNasty1234 Jan 30 '23

Golf has given me a sport to work at. I played football most of my life, and that has a clear and obvious shelf life. Once I was done there I wandered aimlessly for a few years trying to find something and that was the closest I came.

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u/beowhulf Jan 31 '23

when he was young, he did not have much to lose, he was an animal, going 110% each fight, he was ferocious. Ofc as you get older you get more conscious, not about yourself but about your actions and consequences, and the sport. He has family to take care of now and i think thats what he meant, he is stilll good and can be great, but his prophecy has been given at this time and its time to let go and focus on other priorities

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u/judahrosenthal Jan 31 '23

Also love that he got a dis in. “Caliber of fighters…” ouch.

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u/ServingTheMaster Jan 30 '23

getting old is amazing. I wouldn't trade a billion dollars for having to go back and live as my 20 year old self. old brain in young body? maybe, but even then its not a quick yes. Tyson is 1000x the person as an old man that he ever was as a young man.

10

u/ipsok Jan 31 '23

I don't know.... I'm in my mid 40s and trying to do a lot of things I did without thinking when I was 20 are literally painful now. I coach youth sports and I tend to play while I coach because it's more fun that way... the problem is that the brain remembers but sometimes the body is just like "nope, sorry , we can't do that move anymore" and that part is frustrating. It's weird too because I find I can comprehend things like the mechanics of a baseball swing better now and stuff clicks mentally more than it used to but it doesn't really matter because my body cant implement what my brain now understands.

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u/ServingTheMaster Jan 31 '23

My knees feel your comment 😂

3

u/ipsok Jan 31 '23

My complex meniscus tears in both knees and 25 year old ACL rebuild feel everything 😭

29

u/Pherllerp Jan 30 '23

I mean he’s talking about transitioning from a ferocious monsters into someone who cognizant of themselves and their family. That doesn’t sound like “aging is no fun” it sounds like growth,

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u/hopefulworldview Jan 30 '23

I retired from MMA at the peak of my physicality because I had a ferocious title fight against another powerful and well-trained athlete. It was a straight war, but I persevered. After that though, I didn't feel like I had anything else to prove, I felt complete, and didn't think I could bring that to the table anymore. This is what Mikey was talking about I think.

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u/Igotthedueceduece Jan 31 '23

Did you even listen to what he said?

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u/Puzzleheaded_Poet_81 Jan 30 '23

The moment that dude stopped training to kill he started training his mind and went from a questionable character to a really admirable and thoughtful guy. Gotta love a good redemption arc

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u/Im_inappropriate Jan 31 '23

Goes to show getting scooped up as a teen and programmed to be a killer will make you dangerous in and out of the ring. He must have a hell of a therapist, he's gone such a far way.

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u/ShadyK55 Jan 30 '23

Paul Felder's "that might be it for me" is also up there. Link

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u/UAintMyFriendPalooka Jan 30 '23

I feel like that in my career right now. No hard feelings, but I’m just looking at the long term drain it’s been for 20 years. I’ll get over it, but I swear I want to walk off some days.

6

u/Clear-Struggle-7867 Jan 30 '23

What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?

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u/UAintMyFriendPalooka Jan 30 '23

I’m a community organizer. My actual job title is the CEO of a homeless shelter. I start new projects and organizations to even the playing field so the poor aren’t railroaded, mostly in eviction court or with housing. I got a couple hard pipe-hitting lawyers standing up for people, got a cool food truck, some fun stuff.

It’s just a brutal field. Insane criticism, people trying to tear you down on the front page, false friends and managing a whole organization. Constantly raising money. It’s been good to me, but it’s so insanely hard. Sometimes I’m just done.

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u/andrezay517 Jan 30 '23

Stay-at-home-dad

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u/ingloriouspasta_ Jan 30 '23

Watched it… very emotional but he says he’s quitting to be home with his 4yo kid - then “come see me in Vegas and London baby!”

Facepalm lol

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u/MarsMelo621 Jan 30 '23

Those are events where he would work as a broadcaster, not a fighter. Meaning he won’t be going away for weeks at a time to train, just going for a few days for the event. Honestly he could probably take the 4 year old with him if he wanted. He retired from fighting, not working entirely.

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u/ingloriouspasta_ Jan 30 '23

Good to know! Thanks for the context

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u/Acceptable_Spray_119 Jan 30 '23

Well, bills will do that sometimes

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u/ingloriouspasta_ Jan 30 '23

In the same speech though 😂

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u/Agent_Jay Jan 30 '23

Glover’s recent retirement was also very authentic. He himself admitted he’s too tough for his own good and staying in the fight longer than what’s good for him in the long run. He retired to coach, take less damage and make the best of the years on his ranch.

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u/4Nicely Jan 30 '23

Great take, I was so happy to see him acknowledge his own toughness before hanging it up. What a career.

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u/DaggerMoth Jan 31 '23

Dude if people dont know. I thought Glover would retire a long time ago. He's been starched and worked over . Then still comes back. Though his divison has dried up.

If there's someone who has been too tough, it's Overeem. Im suprised that guy is still alive. Has 15 losses by knockout. As a professional. Also, one of the most most devastating knock out I've ever seen. Like there's a difference in seeing a guy knocked out and saying, "Oh Shit" (like he'll get up and be fine), and saying, "Oh no" ( Like that guy could be dead and you hope he gets up). This is that https://youtu.be/LM--cx6FtEg

Also, how is Andrei Arvolski still allowed to fight. Dude should be dead, or creating new theoretic math with how his brain has been rearanged.

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u/sayfuzzypickles199X Jan 30 '23

Fuck Brazil though the arena was practically empty before Glover got on the mic the speak :( granted it was early af in the morning for them but still #feelsbadman

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u/Bmansway Jan 30 '23

The man has come a long way from his former self, I’ve always respected how humble he’s become.

Just goes to show people do change, and your past doesn’t define who you are in the future.

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u/Smodphan Jan 30 '23

I love that line : "I am just not an animal anymore." There's a point in my life I can directly point to after my son was born. I changed almost overnight and it shook everyone around me. I even remember the day my wife noticed. Someone said something to her they shouldn't have.

Normally, I'd have let it go because it was her family. Any other person i would have fought. I am not proud of that, either. Id have fought anyone other than the person that said it. They were yelling and screaming at me, and I was just calmly telling them to grab their things and drive safely.

I came back and she was crying. I thought she was mad, but she was just like "you're going to be a good dad." She had just realized I was ready and taking being a father seriously, and I had just realized I wasn't until months before. Fuck, we cried that night.

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u/MannerMental8582 Jan 30 '23

I still remember that speech. The part about disrespecting the sport has stuck with me all these years.

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u/evophoenix Jan 31 '23

"disrespecting the sport by losing to this caliber of fighter" is such a disrespect😂

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u/Heiro78 Jan 31 '23

Kevin McBride

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u/Agentsas117 Jan 31 '23

I took that as he didn’t want to disrespect the sport by continuing to fight people that were of higher caliber than him just because of who he was. I took that as mad respect for the sport and understanding that it was someone else’s time now, not his. I may be off base though.

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u/Heiro78 Jan 31 '23

For real, who was this fighter I wonder. I shall return after some sleuthing

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u/luigilabomba42069 Jan 31 '23

I have grown impatient. I demand answers

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u/Heiro78 Jan 31 '23

Now you too must venture on this small quest

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u/whopper61 Jan 31 '23

How is the quest going

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u/Heiro78 Jan 31 '23

Tsk tsk, expand the comments. I answered in a different message

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u/Heiro78 Jan 31 '23

I answered in a separate comment over a minute ago to the person I told I would sleuth

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u/cpancoast Feb 01 '23

It really is. I was like, “wow what a moment of clarity and honesty, not only with himself but his fans- OH MY GOD HE KILLED THAT MANS CAREER”

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u/AdCommercial605 Jan 30 '23 edited Jan 30 '23

Say what you will about Mike’s past. It’s all valid. But very very few people become this aware of themselves to this degree. Personal growth on another level

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u/robbiekhan Jan 30 '23

Lots of interviews of Mike talking about his growth and new found wisdom, really good stuff.

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u/DrSuperZeco Jan 30 '23

Reddit wont like this and will get me downvoted. But this change and realization happened because of Islam which IIRC he learned about it in jail and converted to it.

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u/PandaMuffin1 Jan 30 '23

Having a bigger sense of purpose is a good thing. If it made him a better person for his family and his own mental well being, it should be recognized.

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u/AdCommercial605 Jan 30 '23

Shouldn’t feel like that will get you downvoted. Mike is fairly open in his devotion to Islam.

I don’t feel like this is shocking news.

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u/NickrasBickras Jan 30 '23

Reddit and religion historically don’t really mix.

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u/Throwaway_acct3205 Jan 31 '23

I personally don't like religion at all, I wish it didn't exist, but I still respect a person's choice to choose for themselves, and if they find purpose in it, good for them.

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u/TopTierGoat Feb 01 '23

He stopped practicing like over a decade ago

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u/professor_sloth Jan 31 '23

And lots of shrooms

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u/paleandwise Jan 30 '23

I thought because he took a 'ayahuasca-trip (dmt)' and experienced complete ego-death and humbled himself because he witnessed and saw the light so to speak.

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u/JoeyDJ7 Jan 31 '23

Nah it's because of taking a lot of psychedelics. They at least opened the door for him.

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u/sg1ooo Jan 31 '23

It's good that he found wisdom in a 1300 year old book that says kill the gays, beat your disobedient wife and hate on the non-believers for no reason.

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u/CommonRequirement Jan 30 '23

“I’m not going to disrespect the sport by losing to this caliber of fighters” doesn’t exactly scream humility, but it’s a start I guess

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u/TheBeijingKing Jan 30 '23

I think you misinterpret his meaning. Watch any post-fight interview with Tyson and 9 times out of 10 he says something good about the other fighter. I interpreted this as he wasn’t at the caliber in which these other fighters are anymore and it’s disrespectful to the sport as a whole to fight when there are others better up to the task.

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u/odix Jan 30 '23

Honestly, it can be I interpreted either way, and that's why it's an awesome statement 😆

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u/AdCommercial605 Jan 30 '23

This was nearly 20 years ago. The comment is more based on his personal growth as a whole.

I would still argue that there is a lot to be said about that one line, even in context, but that was simply because not many ever did what Tyson did in the ring.

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u/ThoughtGeneral Jan 30 '23

Time and regret (or choose a word that resonates with you) can do a whole lot to change a person.

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u/ObscureDucks Jan 30 '23

He didn't mean it as an insult but more of a reflection on his decline from being one of the best

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u/Hoverboy911 Jan 30 '23

This is always how I've interpreted this too. There was an expectation of Tyson to always be fighting the best of the best, and this is him saying that if he can't even beat a gatekeeper, then the expectations of him fighting top contenders is unrealistic.

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u/yer--mum Jan 30 '23

It's Mike fuckin Tyson lmfao, if he says he shouldn't lose to a certain caliber of fighters he's probably correct. That was just about the most humble way to articulate that idea.

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u/StuartHoggIsGod Jan 30 '23

Because he's basically saying he knows he's past his prime and is only fighting because people respect his name and want to seee tyson fight. Not because they are seeing tyson fight how tyson wants to fight. I think its a harsh criticism of his opponent but I don't know enough about boxing to say that this isn't self aware. If prime Tyson would have won without a doubt then he earned the right to say that. If its more debatable then I guess he's being arrogant but obviously he's going to be biased.

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u/LongSpray82 Jan 30 '23

It’s an honest and accurate statement. McBride was a total bum, that’s the reason he was even picked. In Tyson’s prime he would’ve been another KO1 footnote on his early record.

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u/Rugged_Refined Jan 30 '23

Seems to be the definition of humility to me.

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u/Caked101 Jan 30 '23 edited Feb 01 '23

I mean, he's basically a legend. It's like Tony Hawk(or any OG professional) losing to a rookie or anyone stepping up.

Point is, even if it's a veteran or rookie, once you lose that spark, that's it. He was done. So you're not fighting "The Mike Tyson!". You're fighting a man named Mike Tyson.

Edit: Hate how I wrote this at first.

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u/jaabbb Jan 30 '23

I think this caliber of fighters mean high ranking champion level fighters. He knows he’s gonna win against lower ranks but he can’t compete on the highest competition anymore.

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u/onlythehappiests Jan 30 '23

I took it to mean, if he knows he doesn’t have the fire anymore and can’t pose a challenge for them, he’s wasting their time.

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u/DerbleZerp Jan 31 '23

Exactly. These guys want an opponent who has the ferocity and drive to want to beat them. They want the challenge. Otherwise if they win, it really doesn’t feel like they did.

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u/Atworkwasalreadytake Jan 30 '23

It's the self awareness of what he meant to the sport. Humility doesn't necessarily mean demeaning your status, it means being honest about it.

There is nothing humble about a genius calling himself dumb.

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u/SquigglyPoopz Jan 30 '23

Could have been on a way darker path than he is

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u/4Ever2Thee Jan 30 '23

Well said, that pretty much sums him up for me perfectly.

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u/guy_thirteen Jan 31 '23

Also shrooms.

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u/Candid_Initiative992 Jan 30 '23 edited Jan 30 '23

I remember reading his book, and one thing I took away from it was that as great as he was, he really was his own worse enemy. Dude was “One of the Greatest” but had all the potential to be “The Greatest there ever was”. But his cocaine addiction held him back. Dude got hooked at a early age and it only got worse as soon as he first won the title at 21 years of age. If you want to know how bad his addiction was, he was walking around in clubs with a brick of cocaine in his pocket with a straw attached to it so he could take a hit whenever he wanted, and this was during his fighting years.

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u/dfoster141414 Jan 30 '23

If Cus had lived another 10 years no doubt mike would have been the best fighter the world had ever seen even though he would still claim Ali was.

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u/Joncks Jan 31 '23

This comment is 👌🏼

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u/Uerwol Jan 30 '23

Fucking hell, that is insane. It's amazing people pull themselves out of that shit at all. Good on him I genuinely think he is a good man at heart.

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u/HarmonyQuinn1618 Jan 31 '23

I didn’t even know he wrote a book. I’ll definitely have to give it a listen.

Other great books by artists who struggled with addiction are the Anthony Kiedis, Nikki Sixx, and Steven Adler- GnR really fucked him. All great books.

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u/mybrainblinks Jan 30 '23

I always appreciated his honesty about his insecurities and destructive habits and so forth. We all have problems but I think he showed a lot of courage being vulnerable about his problems.

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u/breadandbarbells Jan 30 '23

You don’t retire from boxing, boxing retires you.

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u/Master_Freeze Jan 30 '23

Indeed. Muhammad Ali suffered from Parkinson's caused from boxing-related injury.

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u/Armatas Jan 30 '23

I always thought his injuries accelerated the progression and increased the severity of his condition. Either way, seeing how limited it made him was difficult to watch.

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u/Master_Freeze Jan 31 '23

I read somewhere that he was diagnosed as a result of multiple head trauma (from boxing) but it’s entirely possible that his brain was wired to degenerate naturally due to genetics. Although I don’t think that was the case. I could be wrong.

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u/rugbypoet Jan 30 '23

"Time beat him. Time, you know, takes everybody out. It's undefeated" - Rocky

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u/TheGemp Jan 30 '23

I feel like a lot of people are misinterpreting his last line

I don’t believe he is calling the other fighters lesser than him, if you watch post fight interviews with him he’ll typically have something good to say about his opponent (though maybe that was different in his earlier years).

The way I interpreted it was this: He was (and is) one of the greatest to ever step in the ring. People dedicate their entire lives to try to be at the same level as he is, and he doesn’t want to disrespect them (or the sport as a whole) by fighting at this caliber knowing that he isn’t what he used to be. That spot belongs to somebody else now, and he understood that.

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u/Away_Cat_7178 Jan 31 '23

In all fairness, the other fighters did not have the gravitas of a legend like he did. Either way would be accurate.

I feel that in today's age we'd more likely see public statements like this in the form of dodge and deflect.

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u/donaldinc Jan 30 '23

He did get the last blow 'not going to lose to this caliber of fighter'.

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u/spider-dan2077 Jan 30 '23

I think it was just because Tyson was so good that he wasn’t expected to lose to lower calibre fighters. Maybe it was a dig, yeah, but it seems more like he doesn’t want to disrespect the sport by making them watch him just get worse and worse.

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u/Oldass_Millennial Jan 31 '23

That and I had a sense that he felt he was sucking the deserved attention from fighters due to his fame from his previous abilities, not his current ability (at the time).

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u/ConversationFrosty33 Jan 30 '23

I disagree that it was meant as an insult. If you were seriously into a sport and won against the best because they simply didn't have the will to play against you to the best of their ability would you feel good about that? No, you'd feel disrespected. Its demeaning to play against someone better than you and win because they didn't try.

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u/nair-jordan Jan 30 '23

Guy who won: “I beat mike tyson! I’m amazing” Tyson: “Losing to someone this terrible is disrespectful to the entire sport”

I love it. That’s the hit that landed hardest

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u/Lukaroast Jan 30 '23

That’s not an insult. He’s saying I’m tired of using my star power to force skilled fighter into beating me for a pay check

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u/Bananaramamammoth Jan 30 '23

Meaning better than him, he didn't want to try keeping up when there were much newer and energetic fighters ready to step up.

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u/Evannnnnm Jan 30 '23

Definitely not meaning better than him

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u/CloroxWipes1 Jan 30 '23

Lot of respect for Mike.

A changed man, a reflective, self-aware man.

Years ago I did not see his story ending well. But he flipped his script

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u/creepythingseeker Jan 31 '23

“Hey man, im from the future. Mike Tyson and Steve-O are going to be great role models.”

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u/carpediem-88 Jan 30 '23

When was this??

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u/A1mostHeinous Jan 30 '23

In 2005. Mike Tyson vs. Kevin McBride

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u/OBV_OBG Jan 30 '23

Just a short while ago after his fight with Jake Paul

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u/carpediem-88 Jan 30 '23

OK I’ll just check that out and clearly you were incorrect lol he did not fight Jake Paul but I did have to look that up. Ha ha lol

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u/emveetu Jan 30 '23

Haha. Such a wholesome response to having your balls busted.

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u/heyimsanji Jan 30 '23 edited Jan 30 '23

Want to see Jake paul vs prime Rocky Marciano

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u/Bigram03 Jan 30 '23

I'm reasonably sure Tyson would destroy Jake Paul today, much less when this video was done.

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u/freewillcausality Jan 30 '23

In slippers without breaking a sweat. If he had a reason to. I don’t think Mike sees any good reason to fight Jake. Unless it were like self defense or something.

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u/wmd1234 Jan 30 '23

I could be wrong but I think this is when he lost to Lennox Lewis in Memphis which was a long ass time ago.

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u/Ofwa Jan 30 '23

Seems very self aware and well reasoned. I’m sorry he ever had to hurt his brain and body to pay his bills.

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u/StrikeStraight9961 Jan 31 '23

Capitalism does that to 99% of humans btw

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u/EthereaLonee Jan 30 '23

"I'm not an animal anymore." he says, interesting.

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u/Pushbrown Jan 30 '23

Ya I watched him fight a few times back in the day, dude WAS an animal. He had that killer attitude, nobody could touch him. I mean he did bite a dudes ear off, dude was a killer.

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u/businesskitteh Jan 30 '23

He bit Holyfield out of frustration for being head butted, probably intentionally, twice in the first fight and twice in the second. Tyson blacked out after each one

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u/hooklips Jan 30 '23

How does that make you smile? Seems pretty sad.

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u/d3ch01 Jan 30 '23

Compared to who he used to be? This video shows that he's grown and matured a shiton. And look at him now. A man at peace with himself. This made me smile.

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u/Jan_Odrecht Jan 30 '23

This and the honesty. Made me smile.

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u/Necromine Jan 30 '23

replacing shit ton with shiton in my vocabulary now.

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u/d3ch01 Jan 31 '23

Oh ya. It's a handy contraction, man

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u/th4t1guy Jan 30 '23

He went from a rage-filled animal fucking up anyone in the ring with him to an introspective human. That's worth celebrating.

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u/Setup69 Jan 30 '23

Yea, good interview but wrong sub ...

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u/trenta_nueve Jan 30 '23

still gracious in defeat and the most honest response ever by an athlete imo

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u/SpacePixelAxe Jan 30 '23

Everybody can relate. “I’m doing this bs to pay bills until I don’t have stomach for it anymore. I will do something else.”

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u/TheCPPKid Jan 30 '23

The duality of man. This interview is really something special, in his prime mike was a monster/animal and considered to be the best, but at the time of this last fight he lost all of his monster and become a human.

It such a cool change to see.

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u/Illustrious_Banana46 Jan 30 '23

This shit made me frown not smile lol

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u/insula_yum Jan 30 '23

Eh, it seems bittersweet to me. Watching an old fighter admit he just doesn’t have it anymore? Pretty sad for sure.

But It always seemed like in his prime and on the way up that there was a lot of hate and pain driving him, and now it seems like he’s in a lot better place and has a lot of good things going for him. I’m happy for him, he lost the fight but he’s winning the long game now

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u/sonnyjbiskit Jan 30 '23 edited Jan 31 '23

That's just an upside down smile, so I think it counts

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u/LanceAlgoriddim Jan 30 '23

It’s funny how he was such a villain in the 80-90s but as he aged he grew into very a likeable self aware person and is now an American treasure.

15

u/[deleted] Jan 30 '23 edited 21d ago

[deleted]

4

u/[deleted] Jan 31 '23

No, no, no! You don't understand! He's an athlete! They're allowed to be despicable garbage!

You're the bad guy for acknowledging that Tyson is a fucking scumbag! We're supposed to keep that hush-hush!

17

u/bannana Jan 30 '23 edited Jan 31 '23

convicted rapist that bit someones ear off,

don't forget he beat the shit out of Givens for most of their marriage but he was good at a sport so apparently none of it matters - it's shocking to me everytime I see another tyson post on this site

9

u/[deleted] Jan 31 '23

Never, ever, ever underestimate people's capacity to overlook horrible actions when they're performed by an athlete.

Society is filled with people just as horrible as Tyson. That's the only way people as horrible as him could remain worshipped after proving their degeneracy so many times.

6

u/Basscyst Jan 30 '23

People can be shitty and then learn and be better, you know? This is a man who was raised like a pit bull in a dog fighting ring.

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u/_BringBackBacon Jan 30 '23

Agreed. He's maybe even a global treasure!

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u/CoolHandCliff Jan 31 '23

Damn idk why that made me cry but it did

8

u/de9ausser Jan 30 '23

Please stop putting loud music tracks over someone talking

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u/gratefuldude1971 Jan 30 '23

Disrespect the sport? For God sakes man, you bit a man’s ear off. Lol.

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u/Plenty-Green186 Jan 30 '23

Yeah but when they asked Evander Hollifield about it he essentially said “yeah I’ve bit people’s ears during fights too”

62

u/randomchap432 Jan 30 '23

That's part of the game playa

5

u/Demhanoot Jan 30 '23

Yup it’s like going too hard vs not hard enough

3

u/Teejaydee3 Jan 30 '23

This is the funniest statement I’ve seen in this thread. I’m crying

9

u/smitty3257 Jan 30 '23

He was an animal then!

5

u/gratefuldude1971 Jan 30 '23

He was exciting to watch! I remember paying 49.95 pay-per-view having a party, the fight was over in 49 seconds. We could have just watched it on the squiggly channel. Lol

6

u/gilligan1050 Jan 30 '23

And now that ear is available as a cannabis gummy.

3

u/Slow_Flow_4722 Jan 30 '23

We all have bad days..lol

5

u/funtimes421 Jan 31 '23

Wow. That took a lot of courage to say what he said. ❤️

3

u/That1OrangeGuy Jan 30 '23

When he finished with "losing to this caliber of fighters" was that a dig at the person who beat him, or respect to the high caliber fighters who put in a lot of effort?

3

u/FuckerMcAssface Jan 31 '23

As crazy as he was in the 90’s he was just as honest about himself

3

u/Sufficient-Trash-728 Feb 01 '23

I respect him'more and more every time I hear him talk. He's very profound.

3

u/Clown-In-Crises Feb 01 '23

He's so real for that.

10

u/superbbfan Jan 30 '23

He brutally raped a teenager girl then threatened to kill her when she testified, what a hero

Also brutally beat most of the women he dated

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u/eyehate Jan 30 '23

I was thirteen when Mike was first televised. And for the rest of my teens I was in awe at what seemed like a living superhero. He was pure devastation in the ring. And I didn't even like sports. But he was the kind of charismatic superstar that roped everybody in. He was everywhere and amazing.

It was quite a ride.

2

u/Adm8792 Jan 30 '23

Change the word fight to something that applies to your life and it’ll still make sense that’s how real this is

2

u/ttopsrock Jan 30 '23

Been watching Rocky with my boy.. and yep that says it all. Gosh I got tears in my eyes.

He kicked ass and did great things time to enjoy them now.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 30 '23

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u/PhattJeezus Jan 30 '23

Just don’t mess with his tiger.

2

u/JoeBaldez Jan 31 '23

It’s good to see that he did not fully deteriorate like some fighters and that with age comes wisdom.

2

u/Flow_Scholar Jan 31 '23

Most honest retirement speech ever

2

u/1dan_lisha Jan 31 '23

Honestly he's been through a lot and no one can say they know what he's been through except him and I respect the fact that he was so honest about it

2

u/StolenDiscs Jan 31 '23

Still fighting to take care of my bills too, Mike.

2

u/MagsNfragS Jan 31 '23

say what you want, but at least Mike is honest with himself. That's the best anyone can do.

2

u/Few-Marionberry-8277 Jan 31 '23

Ronaldo 🐐 tis one 4 u! 😇

2

u/SPR444 Jan 31 '23 edited Jan 31 '23

Odd but fun fact. The fighter who beat Tyson this fight was my apartment superintendent in Boston. Kevin McBride. Good guy.

I remember my roommate once asking him to show us his fists and was blown away at the size of them.

2

u/dcinsd76 Jan 31 '23

That’s what becoming an actual “Grown Ass Man” looks like.

2

u/grapsta Jan 31 '23

I love his quote that he realized this isn't a tough guys world anymore it's a smart man's world

2

u/BRackishLAMBz Jan 31 '23

Fuck Don King, RIP Cus D'Amato and Im so happy to see Mike's future become so relaxing/loving, with all the stress he endured in his early years plus all the awesome entertainment he gave us fans, Mike deserves the life he is living 🤙🏽

2

u/RandyRavage69 Jan 31 '23

Tyson is the goat. Has had the biggest villain to hero arc in history. He will also be the best pound for pound in my eyes

2

u/mikedjb Jan 31 '23

Oh but that last line was KICKING!

2

u/Brandoe Jan 31 '23

Had an ex-UFC guy come and do a guest instruction at one of our martial arts classes. He said pretty much the same thing. Looked at his kids one day and felt it just wasn't worth it anymore. Opened up a computer consulting firm and had been doing that ever since.

2

u/skwadyboy Jan 31 '23

Such a shame, in his prime he was the greatest fighter there's ever been, if only cus had stayed alive for another 10 years then maybe mike would have stayed on the straight and narrow, and all those parasites wouldn't have got their claws into him.

2

u/aufdie87 Jan 31 '23

I respect blunt honesty. I really do. No shame for ending his career the way he did.

2

u/Adventurous_Topic202 Jan 31 '23

Then he went on to do comedy and did some pretty funny shit

2

u/UNSC_Spartan122 Jan 31 '23

Undeniably honest, and one of the greatest fighters of all time. I respect him

2

u/Nice_Atmosphere144 Jan 31 '23

Mike Tyson has grown a lot, gained much wisdom, and knows when to call it quits and move on. ONWARDS AND UPWARDS. I wish Mike Tyson the best.

2

u/jointcanuck Jan 31 '23

“Im sorry i let everyone down” mike… mikeeee, cmon, who’d you let down? I bet muhammed ali is still proud of you

5

u/asmith1393 Jan 30 '23

Give this man a standing ovation!

5

u/slimedewnautica Jan 30 '23

How does this make you smile?

17

u/TruthScout137 Jan 30 '23

For me, it’s because he is being authentic, self-reflective, and thinking about his family’s best interests.

He has mellowed out a lot from the guy who bit off an opponent’s ear.

2

u/PruneBrothers1 Jan 31 '23

Tyson did some pretty reprehensible shit back in the day but I always appreciated his honesty and his self awareness.

3

u/bannana Jan 30 '23

this convicted rapist is still getting reddit airtime.

2

u/The_Serial_Binger Jan 30 '23

Authentic and true to himself

2

u/wdnlng Jan 30 '23

God the music is so ridiculous. I want to hear what he’s saying.

2

u/Radiant-Elevator Jan 30 '23

You have to be pretty charming to be a convicted rapist and be celebrated on this sub

2

u/ZakiFC Jan 31 '23

How wholesome. Reminder that this sad excuse for a human being is a CONVICTED RAPIST.

2

u/TheLastTaco77 Jan 31 '23

Breaks my heart when he said sorry for letting people down. He didn't and takes a big man to open up like that to the world.

1

u/dinogirlsdad Jan 30 '23

Dude, Mike Tyson has really turned into a man people can admire. He made his mistakes, he owned up to them and he has worked ferociously on bettering his self. Nothing but respect for him. Fuck Don King. Ruined him.

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u/Diplopicseer Jan 30 '23

That's such a sweet speech from convicted rapist Mike Tyson. Very wholesome.

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